ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: ground · chip · racket · ruler · trunk · object · race · club

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. chip — for betting
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. race — a contest
  7. chip — to eat
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. club — for golf
  10. object — an aim
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ground — crushed
  13. club — a group
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. ground — the earth
  16. object — a thing
  17. club — for dancing
  18. race — the arms race
  19. race — humankind
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. object — to protest
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. ground — a position

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com